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Current Post – September 30, 2022

Hotdog at the Metro – Hogan’s Guide Dog Adventures

In the red brick Eastern Market Metro plaza, Hogan sits by Pat alertly with his front paws barely touching the ground. He's got his mouth wide open in anticipation as Pat starts to give him his hotdog treat. There are a few wispy white clouds in a bright blue sky. Pat has on a solid blue dress shirt, black baseball hat, and khakis.
Team Hogan cruises into the Eastern Market Metro Station. Hogan says, “Lovin’ this guide dog gig, Pat,” as he receives a hotdog reward for getting his guy to the Metro.

A woofing fall greeting to our GuideDogTales readers. Thanks fur dropping by and checking out the latest. We hope you had a fun-filled summer and are ready for some great autumn activities.

Hogan and I are staying busy in the cooler temps. We’ve been heading back into the office and, during our free time, keeping up with some comedy performances. Hogan’s happy to be navigating the streets and the Metro again – he’s got that working-pup bounce back in his step, that extra wag in his tail.

I’ve continued doing stand-up at open mics and have added some new bits on guide dogs to my routine. As I mentioned in my last post, this summer I completed an outstanding class at the DC Improv Comedy Club called “Improv 2, short form.” We had our graduation show around Memorial Day. Including my parents and friends, more than 40 people came out to cheer on our troop and watch Hogan strut his stuff. It was a blast, and my classmates put on a number of funny skits.

Hogan and I appeared in the dating game sketch as a race car driving team – Grant Speed, the blind driver, and his trusty guide dog wingman. You know, two barks for left and one for right. Personally, I like to think that folks with disabilities have heightened romantic senses, but in the end, the dynamic racing duo lost the dating game to the one and only Dracula. I guess his bite was worse than our bark.

A quick shoutout to our instructor, Chris Ulrich. When I first looked into doing comedy four years ago, I didn’t think improv would be practical for me. Improv differs significantly from stand-up comedy, though both are very cool styles. With stand-up, it’s just you and the mic on stage (and Hogan, of course, in my case). Improv, on the other hand, is a highly visual performance style with different people interacting and a lot of action. Think of the show Curb Your Enthusiasm for an example.

I usually lean towards doing stand-up but wanted to check out improv. Chris totally made the class work for me. Whether by meeting with me beforehand, providing descriptions to complex scenes, or asking about Hogan’s needs, Chris went the extra mile to make me feel welcomed and included. He’s a talented guy who always sees the possible. I’ve taken four courses with Chris and am enjoying another class, “Advancing the Scene,” with him this fall.

Okay, Hogan is nudging me to get to the part about the hotdog. As I’ve mentioned, we’ve returned to commuting on the lovely DC Metro. Other than trains that rarely run on time and a new smartcard service that’s not exactly accessible for anyone (I’m lookin’ at you, DC Metro Authority), we’re back at it.

Folks often wonder how exactly a guide dog helps you get places. To give you a better picture, here’s a snapshot of the daily commute of Pat and wonderdog:

In front of Pat's red brick house, Hogan and Pat stand on a landing of black cast iron steps. Hogan is focused on the hotdog treat in Pat's right hand. Pat is wearing a patterned blue shirt, khakis, and a black backpack. Streaks of morning sun filters through a nearby tree and red flowers surround the steps. Hogan's training clicker can be seen on Pat's right wrist.
It’s hotdog at the Metro time. From their house on Capitol Hill, Pat and Hogan set out for the morning commute.

Before I head to work from my house on Capitol Hill, I take a moment to make sure I have everything. Keys, check. Wallet and phone, got ‘em. What’s missing? Oh right, dog!

This particular day, Hogan is bouncing around impatiently, eagerly waiting for me to put on his harness so we can make our way to the metro. As we head out the door, Hogan looks up at me as if to say, “Diggin’ this guide dog work, Pat. I’m glad we’re rolling again.”

Guide dog work is all about the training. Hogan and I, along with my other guide dogs, have been mentored by some excellent trainers from his school, Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Early in his career, Hogan had some sniffing issues, so one of my trainers, Dell, suggested that I offer Hogan a little extra motivation. He proposed that before starting out in the morning, I show Hogan a treat – in this case, a piece of hotdog. The promise of hotdog helps keep Hogan focused on the task at hand.

And so began our new routine to get Hogan jazzed up for the commute. We leave the house, I show Hogan the tasty prize, along with an upbeat “Hotdog at the Metro,” and he takes off like a rocket. I actually need to remind him to slow down a bit sometimes.

On this specific day, I give Hogan the forward command and we walk to the corner of 6th and G Streets in southeast DC, heading to the Eastern Market Metro. Out of nowhere, I hear a car accelerate. I feel the sudden breeze of the car passing right next to me. It’s one of those impatient DMV drivers. Hogan is unphased. He stops on a dime and executes a perfect traffic check, following his training like a champ. We don’t get clipped. I give him a big “good boy” and praise him up. Hogan seems to reassure me under his breath, “That was an easy one, Pat, bring on the day.”

We then turn up 6th Street and head for the Metro. The next few street crossings are busy, but Hogan crushes it. About two blocks from the Eastern Market station, I say “Hogan, let’s go. Hotdog at the Metro.” The big guy starts trotting and I can hear him thinking “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!”

A quick sidenote to this ditty that might be specific to the Eastern Market station. Lately, about one block before we reach the entrance, I’ve been catching the funky scent of freshly smoked weed just pouring from the new plaza area. Given his superior sense of smell, I wonder what Hogan thinks of this development. Hey, maybe it enhances his drive for the hotdog. Hogan has definitely asked me some probing questions about this funny-smelling business.

Pat and Hogan briskly cross the street. The back end of a truck can be seen stopped just beyond the crosswalk. Hogan looks very focused on his guide dog work. Pat wears a maroon t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and black baseball hat.
“Gotta get to that Metro,” says a happy Hogan. The duo makes their final street crossing before the station.

But we ignore the distraction and stick to our mission of getting to the Metro. I suggest the hotdog one more time and Hogan flat out sprints the final stretch. We stop a few feet before the station escalators and I hand him his hotdog, along with an enthusiastic, “Good boy.” I then give him the “find the escalator” command, and we glide over. We’re on our way to the next adventure. Everything is fun with a guide dog.

I’ve worked a version of these travels into my stand-up routine. Walking alongside traffic can sometimes be hairy, and we often encounter new obstacles and curious smells, but Hogan always gets me to our destination safely. He is an amazing guide, and it’s pawesome to celebrate his successes. I’m sure the upcoming weeks will bring about more fun outings that I can share here and on the stand-up stage.

Thanks for stopping by again to check out the tales. We look forward to updating you on our guide dog adventures again very soon. Until then, we hope you’re staying active in the cool autumn breeze and your pups have found their fall treat of choice, whether that’s a hotdog or something else found near the metro.
Pat and Hogan pose with their classmates on the main DC improv Comedy Club stage. There are 13 students standing with Chris, the instructor, and Hogan. The group is in front of a brick wall with the black letters of the Club's sign. Blue LED lights can be seen, along with bright stage lights. One student gives a thumbs up, while others gesture playfully. Pat wears a teal-colored T-shirt and dark jeans. Team Hogan walks quickly down the sidewalk. Pat has on a black backpack and blue dress shirt, sleeves rolled halfway up his forearm. Hogan's head is slightly down as he focuses on guiding. A classic brick Capitol Hill house with an iron fence can be seen behind the two. Pat and Hogan are heading down the escalator from the plaza into the Metro. Hogan stands a step behind Pat and looks up to him. Pat holds Hogan's leash. A bit of morning sun filters through the escalator's iconic glass canopy. Hogan's training clicker is on Pat's wrist and black treat bag can be seen buckled to his belt.

Click on any of the images to see the full sized versions, and descriptions.

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